NFL Week 1 Weather Report and Forecast: Many games with a chance for rain
We’re kicking off the NFL Regular Season with Week 1, and as always, weather will play a factor.
As usual in my NFL weather forecasts, the main focus is to identify games with high winds or heavy rain. Of all possible weather variables, wind is the biggest detriment to offenses, with a 15+mph wind being impactful and anything over 20mph sustained becoming a major problem for passing and kicking. Rain is another important factor in scoring, in particular heavy rain, which makes it harder to both throw and catch a pass, as well as turnovers increasing across the board. Temperature rarely impacts scoring, so it will only be noted here in extreme cases, like late-season games with temps below freezing. You can use this to your advantage making your picks on DFS sites and sportsbooks.
It’s also worth noting that while winds are fairly predictable a few days out, trying to pinpoint rain over a stadium is difficult even a few hours ahead of a game. So for the very latest info as the NFL Week 1 forecast changes, stay tuned to @KevinRothWx on Twitter or check my main NFL weather forecast page.
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NFL Week 1 Weather Report & Forecast
Sunday Main Slate – September 11th
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals – Scattered showers at some point in-game, but I don’t expect it lasts all game.
Baltimore Ravens at New York Jets – Likely dealing with a nagging light rain the majority of the game.
San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears – Looks like our best chance for very heavy rain comes early (around kickoff, perhaps even before it), with the chance for some lingering showers beyond that. Winds are also worth watching here, 15-20mph sustained, and at some points stronger. I know it’s unusual in the NFL, but a delayed start to this game isn’t out of the question. A delayed start would actually bring winds more into play, as they are strongest in the late afternoon.
Cleveland Brown at Carolina Panthers – A chance for some spotty showers or storms.
New York Giants at Tennessee Titans – Spotty showers and storms possible.
Sunday Night Football – September 11th
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys – Zero weather issues as it’s in a dome, and those perfect conditions should help these high-powered offenses to fire on all cylinders.
Monday Night Football – September 12th
Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks – Quiet weather in Seattle for our first Monday Night Football game of the season.
Overall Week 1 Weather Forecast
When looking for an edge, I’m always trying to find high winds first, and rain second. We’ve got plenty of games with a chance for rain, but only Chicago has the chance for some stronger winds. The Chicago game is also the most interesting as it pertains to rain, if the heavy rain is still around by kickoff it could slow down play a bit and have both teams more focused on the rushing attack than the teams otherwise would be. As I mentioned earlier, it’s best to follow rain forecasts right up until kickoff, so stay tuned to @KevinRothWx for the latest.
Image Credit: Imagn